McIlwaine and Crowe on target for Wee Reds

Both teams struggled to play neat football on a soggy pitch, but strikes by Ryan McIlwaine and Chris Crowe had Stephen Hughes’ lads well on the way to victory, before Mallusk pulled one back through Matt Fegan.

McIlwaine opened the scoring in the ninth minute, skipping past three opponents before slotting the ball in to the bottom corner.

Crowe doubled the lead on the stroke of half-time when his angled drive beat the keeper.

Goalkeeper Jonah Nicholl was denied a clean sheet in injury time, when Fegan notched a close range consolation score.

Reserves’ boss Stephen Hughes said: “Ryan McIlwaine was outstanding at centre midfield, while Mark Conn was exceptional up front, where his ball distribution was spot on.”